Controlling valve for compound water meters



Sept. 26, 1933. E, NUEBUNG 1,928,433

CONTROLIJING VALVE FOR COMPOUND WATER METERS Filed July 24, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR E0 WA @D /V//E /A/G Sept. 26, 1933. E. Nur-:BLING CONTROLLING VALVE FOR COMPOUND WATER METERS ,Filed `July 24, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ibn/Afm /Vz/BL v6 M @l ATTORNEYS Patented Sept; 2@ 1933 tee 1,928,4ae .l

VALVE ron WATER Edward Nueblinggnewyerkr-N.Y;, Applieaonmuy 24; 1929.` serial No. 380,488 y i "j i CONTROLLING 12, claimsL This invention" relates to: watery 'meters andv par,- ticularlytothat type thereofnknown as compound meters wherein a pair of y independent measuring or recording meters are employed, one for meas:-

5 yuring theflargeflowslfof water'and the otherffor measuring small flows. t v f Although: the; fdiierent l types in .actualruse l:for measuring, the yfio/W of -water through service pipes'to dwellings, manufactureing plantel etcg generally operate togmeasureaccuratelyf` the Water which flows through; Vsuch pipes,ithas been found that when the rateoflow fa1ls`,belowabout one-twentieth the normalMca-f pacityot-themeten` it begins to lose in accuracy `and continues` to lose"asthe ow is decreased untilia flowis-reaehed that isgtool small to be measured.'` The size of the 1 stream -which can; pass throughany meter is proportional tothe-size; oflthefmeteranduwhilegin the; smaller.sizes of i meters such-asusedin dwellingsthe unmeasured flowsq are practically negligible, f such ilowsf with Y larger` sizeameters are `of considerable: magnitude,-

particularlyin. placesiwhere thedemand for Water varies fwidely.;` 4In 4such-=places,` -a single: meter; of 25 suflicienty capacityfor ,the large ows Awould not measure. or xwould measurey in part onlyv ,the small ows, thereforesfit is the practiceinfsthese locations-Where .-owswthrough thefmeter .cannot beconfinedtol-rates falling'pvithin the'accuracy'limits ,l 300i la `single meter to employ a compound .meter-` Thejcompoundmetenconsists of the combination of a largfeformain-line'metengasmall or vhyp-pass metengand a controlling :Valve mechanism, for

automatically::directingsmall ows through the 1 byrpess -v meter and large flows through f the main line meter. A When thecontrolling valve is closed,

alla oi thewater f is passed through theJ bit-,pass meter., but when Athe `flow .through the. by-pass b comes large enough to'c'rea'tea riXedv difference `in pressure between theinlet and o'utleitside'sk ofsaid Valve, it will l open automaticallywto permit-` the waterto flow through 'the main 'line meter; When thejflow agaihdecreasesthefvalve will closewa'uto-l E maticallygf Iff the controlling Valve atany time 4e permitaV allow of Water through the4l main line meter at. a ratekto'o small lto` be measured obvi` of A water" meters ooMeoUNn MEfrEnsf the change; overfzone fr of lany ycompound meter.`

over rates.- Y f ,Y m f n el In View ofthe above -thefgprincipalfobject-of the present.:y inventionisftp f'provide; `a fnewi and WorkslAssociations `allow an errorof 15% inregis-y f `tration over a :.-large Yramgefyirr;rates1offlownfor,

u This. lacknowledged4 inaccuracy offcompoundi1 Water meters asi* heretofore constructed fis .highly objectionable,v particularly ,g as there are E many Y compoundlmeterwinstallations V`where the-waterl-1 is usedgior. prolonged ,periods atv .the char1gef 'improvedconstruction oacontrollingfvalvefoivy y compoundwater-meters; thatiwll functionwith l w f marked `accuracy `at the change-,over'rates as Well l, as .atrates above or below change-over. 1

Another :Objectis to provide 'a valve ot the Y- Y characterfdescrbed of :simple rand durable conf; struction; capable of Joeing ;-gmanufacturedand; p soldat a-relative1yu1ow 'cosinand of withstanding- ,long periodsot service Without frequent-attention, adjustments orfrepairs.,y I

` Afurther object-istoprovidesuch avalvefw'ith means:forrinstantlyi diverting the flows from*byf pass meter tto main-line*V meter or vice versa whileV preventing' ,thergpassagea of flows through the main-line. channelsthattare too small to ured by themainfline meter.v

function f to stopfthe ,eHow-vof; the .Watenzthrough so be measr 1 Another: Objectis to provide such'fa v alve y with an arrangement ofbygpasspistonsV audyportsethaltsfs` it thenbyfpass meter during the ichangeoverefrom v s yby-passgto main-line but .that permitstheow A through the byfpass afteran appreciablerate of Y, flow through 1 fthe @main iline; ,meter has :1 been established; l

Affurthen ,object isi to rconstruct the `movable valve-seating member asia combined valve and; piston havingnal pluralitycof .differential-1 surface-v areasaganst: which :the pressures prevailing, lin 1 the fvalve ara-exertedHin `alternation "to secure instantaneous@` opening and :closing of` the valver sure, conditions.

at accurately predeterminedchangesin the pres- Anotheraobjectisto soconstructfthe movable;`

f valve 'memberithatiit will be operated by relative-:.V

1y small vpressure differences'therebyreducing the ouslyimthe compound meter 'asf a `whole willnot totalpressurelossthrough thevalveand afurtherf:

7 f y 'object is.` toobviate pressurepulsations and pos-` to main line meterfor vice `versar occurs. Hence'/ r,the standard specifications i forKA water? meters "adopted by the' New England andv American Water l `sible@ilutteringvcofthe-valvewhich if present f* 05 t 'n mightz permit.- hows to occur through theI mainfxfl n if line; ,meter iat .ratesztoo small :to bef'registered accurately. i l

The .above Aand `other objects `of:theinvention will appear more fully' fromzthelzfollowing more tno detail-ed: :description anctfby` reference to'. the` ac'- companying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a view of an installation including a main line meter, a controlling valve constructed in accordance with the present invention and a by-pass line with a by-pass meter, the compounding valve and a portion of the main line meter and by-pass line being shown in vertical section and the remainder of the by-pass line, main line meter andthe bypass meter being shown in elevation, Figs.' 2,- 3 and 4`are sections on the lines 2 2, 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 1, and Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged details of a portion of the'valve showing different positions of the valve plug.

As shown in Fig. 1 the numeral 10 indicates a main line meter of any suitable or well known construction which is provided with the'usual anged inlet 11 and outlet 12. -Communicating with the inlet 11 is one end of a small by-pass conduit 13 containing a by-pass meter 14 and communicating at its other end with the interior of the controlling valve, the latter being indicated generally by the reference character 15.

A plurality of partition walls 16, 17 and 18 extend horizontally across the interior of the casing of the valve 15 and divide it into a plurality of compartments 19,20 and 21.- The compartment 21 is of annular shape and forms a continuation of and is in line with the flanged inlet 22, with which it communicates at one end, while at its other end it is closed by the-wall 23.

The horizontal partitionwalls 16, 17 and 18 are provided with axially aligned bores in which is seated a valvecage or bushing 24 preferably provided at its upper end with a projecting annular ange 25 through which eye-bolts 26 or vthe like are threaded to permit the removal of the'valve cage to be readily effected-for inspection or re- Vcage is lprovidedwith ports 30. Just above the pairs. That portion of'the valve cage which lies between'thewalls 17 and 18, in alignment with the'compartm'ent 21, isformed with longitudinal ribs' 27 between which passages 28 are formed as shown best in Fig. 2. 'Between' the walls 16 and 17 thev valve cage' 24 is provided with a row of horizontal ports 29, while below the wall 16, said ribs 27 an adjustable valve seating ring 31 is screwthreaded into thecage 24 while just below saidribs the cage 24 is reduced in diameter and `vis provided with an annular shoulder 32 for a pur- `pose presently to bedescribed.' lAt its lower! end the cage is closed by a plate 33 provided with a small central aperture 34.

Mounted forvertical sliding movement within the cage 24 is'a valve plug'35 having at the-top thereof a disc 36, at the bottom thereof a disc 37, and at the center a disc 38. For convenience the discs will be hereinafter referred to as valve pistons.

longitudinally extending ribs 39 and 40 which serve t'o hold the plug-in proper alignment.' The outer lower edge of each of the valve pistons 36 and 38 is chamfered preferably at an angle' of approximately 30 with the horizontal while the oppositely facing edges of the valve ring 31 and .perfect of variable static pressure in the operation "of the ivalve, .and also prevents any accidental Y mediately below the valve pistons 36, 38 the valve w Between the discs 36 and 38 and 38 and 3,7 respectivelythe valve plug is provided with denting of the inner peripheral edges of the seating rings, which may result while inserting the valve plug into the cage, from affecting the operation of the valve. Another advantage of having the line contact valve seating surfaces away from the inner peripheral edges of the seating rings is that'the forces due to the water pressure which actuate the valve plug can be utilized to better advantage as will appear hereinafter. Im-

plug is provided with the depending skirt portions 41 and 42 which are provided respectively A with grooves 43, 44 for a purpose which will presently appear.

The top of the casing of the valve 15 is preferably closed by a detachable closure 45 and said casing is also providedwith the usual flanged outlet 46. A clean Aout hole provided at the bottom of the valve casing is closed by a plug 47. Pressure gauges 48, 49 may be connected with the inlet 11 of the main meter and with the outlet 46 of the valve 15 and shut-01T valves 50 and unions 51 may be arranged in accordance with the usual practice in the by-pass line 13 for permitting the ready removal of the by-pass meter for 100 replacement or repairs.

The operation is as follows: When there is no ow through the compound meter the valve Iplug 35 is` seated by its own weight in the Afull line position shown in Fig. 1; as all parts of the installation would be under the same pressure the gauges 48 and 49 would then read the same. When a ow of water is started by the opening of a control valve-on the outlet side of the compound meter, the flow therethrough will obviously be through the channel that offers the least resistance. The valve plug 35 resting on its seats 31, 32, prevents flow through the main-line channels and the water will therefore at rst flow through the by-pass 13, meter 14, the ports 30 in the cage 24`to the outlet 45 as indicated by the full line arrows b. Whenever the amount of water being used is such as to bring about a predetermined difference in the pressure conditions between the outlet 46 and inlet 11 as indicated by the pressure gauges 48 and 49 of, say, seven pounds per square inch, the valve plug 35 will be lifted from it`s seat. As the plug rises the by-pass disc piston 37 will move across the ports 30 thus automatically stopping the flow through the by-pass and diverting it through the main-line meter 10; in actual operation this takes'only a fraction of a second, the entire flow of Water being so diverted as soon as it reaches a rate that can be accurately measured by the main line meter. Increase of the flow Will'cause the valve plug to assume diierent positions until the top of the plug comes in contact with the valve cover as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In some installations where large flows are used continuously night and day it may be desirable in order to keep the by-pass meter 14 lubricated, to permit ow through the by-pass when the valve plug is in the ,full open position, this y may be eected by vdrilling one or more holes 52 on the outlet side of the valve cage as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 so that a continual small flow will pass through the by-pass system.

In order that the constructional principles which govern the automatic functioning of the valve plug may be better understood the following discussion is included:

Let the weight of the plug 35in water=W. The difference in horizontal area between upper Cil ing of the valve..

tually reached zero, since the throttling action, which creates the pressure loss required to satisfy the equation P(A'+A)'=W would continue indefinitely. The grooves are of such area that with a given rate of 'flow through the main linev meter the necessary pressure loss to satisfy the equation P(A-i-A)=W cannot be produced, P(A+A) is therefore less than W and the Valve closes. For the higher rates P('A+`A") is greater than W and the valve remains open. Before` the valve is fully seated the by-pass piston 37 in its downward movement opens kthe ports 30 and re-establishes the condition expressed by the PA'=W equation. Y

The diameters of the depending skirt portions 4l, 42 and of the ribs 39, 40 are so proportioned relatively to the diameters of those portions of the 'cage 24 with which they co-operate as to permit free axial movement of the valve plug 35 while maintaining it in proper alignment with the valve seats. The lengths of said skirt portions are suchv that the ports 30 are fully closed by the by-pass valve piston 37 just before the plug, in itsY upwardmovement, reaches a position such that the annular openings hereinbefore referred to are established.- The combined cross sectional area of the grooves 43, 44 is not large enough to permit a flow through the grooves of sufficient volume to effect the differential pressure established'V by the, flow through the by-pass channels and the differential pressure necessary to breakv the y contact seal and start the valve plugin motion will be exerted onthe differential area A as soon as the 'contact seal is broken.' Since differential area A' is greater than differential area A the effect of the differential pressure on the greater differential area is to give the valve plug an upward impulse, furthermore as the plug rises and closes by-pass ports 30 an yadditional force is exerted upwardly upon the by-pass piston before the annular openings between the valve plug and its 'ring seats are established and since no appreciable iiow through the valve can occur to alter the differential pressure until the annular openings are established the valve will rise instantly a sufficient distance Vto establish such openings upon the breaking of the `,circular sealing con- In addition to its other functions the piston 37 in co-operation with the cylinder located at the lower end of the valve cage 24, serves as a dash pot to prevent shock and damage to the seating surfaces ofthe cage 24 and plug 35 upon the clos- It will thus be seen from the foregoing that the invention hereindisclosed enables a controlling valveto be constructed that will prevent the'iiow of vwater through the mainline meter, either on ascending or descending rates of iiow, at rates too small to be measured accurately; that the construction of the valve issimple and durable, that pressure lossesthrough the valve are reduced to a minimum and that pressure pulsations and fluttering of the valve plug are entirely eliminated. Y

While the valve herein disclosed forms a satisfactory constructional 'example embodying the principles ofthe invention that has operated successfully,l it :will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific constructional details described and illustrated but that many changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to withoutk departing from such principles. s f

1. In a controlling valve for compound water with a spaced series of ports, a valve plug movably mounted within said cage, said plug having a plurality of spaced valve pistons, and said cage having aplurality of spaced valve seats with which said pistons co-operate along line contacts to form a iiuid tight seal, skirt portions depending from at least two of said valve pistons Aand projecting beyond said valve seats in the Yclosed positions of said pistons, said line contacts of said pistons and said depending skirt portions being constructed and arrangedto present to the water owingto said valve diiferentdiferential surface areas when said valve is in opened and in closed positions.

2. A controlling valve for compound water` `the water pressure in the closed, the partially opened and the fully opened positions of said valve.`

3. In a controlling valve for compound water meters, which include a main line and a by-pass meter, and means for diverting the ow of water from said lay-pass to saidmain line meter and vice versa in accordance with variations in the rate of flow, while preventing flows through said main line meter at rates too small to be measured accurately, said means comprising a movable valve' plug having a plurality of spaced valve pistons, skirt portions depending from at least two of said valve pistons, a cage, and a plurality of ring seats on said cage with which said pistons engage with circular line contacts spaced from the inner peripheral edges of said ring seats when said valve is in closed position, said skirt portions presentingv to the water, when saidvalve is in opened position, a differential surfacev area of greater extent than is included within said circular line contacts.

4. In a controlling valve for compound water meters, which include a main line and a by-pass meter, and means for diverting the flow of water from said by-pass to said mainline meter and vice versa in accordance with variations in the rate of ow, whilepreventing flows through said main line meter at rates too small to be measured accurately, said means comprising a movable valve plug having a yplurality of spaced valve pistons, skirt portions depending from at least two of said valve pistons, a cage, and a plurality of ring seats on said cage with which said pistons engage with circular line contacts when said valve is Vin closed position, said skirt pistons presenting to the water, when said valve is in opened position, a surface area of greater extent Mvided with a series of valve ports, and a valve fmeters, a casingrhaving a valve'cage provided f meter which includes a mainline meter and a by-pass meter, a valve cage having a pair of spaced valve seating surfaces and a piston chamber having between its. ends a plurality oi hori zontally alined by-pass rvalve ports, and ay valve plug having a pair of spaced valve pistons for col` yoperation with said valve seating surfaces and a by-pass valve piston mounted within said chamber and adapted to close saidports, the relative spacing of said valve seatingsurfaces, saidvalve ports, and said by-pass and valve pistons being such that a free opening of said valve can not occur until said by-pass ports are closed by said by-pass valve piston.

c '7. In' a controlling valve, a valve casinghaving an inlet yand an outlet, a valve' plug having a plurality of pistons movablymounted in the cas ing and adapted to be opened automaticallyv by' a predetermined difference in pressure between vthe water yat the inlet and outlet, and means for securing an instantaneous opening ofthe-valve upon the breaking of its contact seal, said means comprising skirt portions depending from the pistons and having a diierential area greaterin amount than thefdifferential area of said pistons.

8. In a controlling Valve for a compound water meter that includes a main line meter and a bypass meter, a Valve casing having an inletand an outlet, a valve plug movablymounted in said casing for automatically controlling the iiow through said main line meter or said by-pass meter in accordance with pressure diierences be-k tween said inlet and outlet, a by-pass cylinder having ported communication through said bypass meter with saidfinlet and afby-pass valve piston mounted in said cylinder and adapted to close said ported communication during lthe opening of said valve, and said piston opening ysaid ported communication after flow is established through said main line meter for permitting substantially the full pressure of the water at said inlet to be exerted onvsaidpiston to hold said Valve plug in open position.

9. In a controllingV valve including a chamber, a valve cage having a pair of spaced valve seating rings, a valve plug movably mounted in said chamber, said plug having a pair of spaced Valve pistons having seating surfaces for ctn-operation with said valve seating rings and means comprisev ing skirt portions depending from said valve pisposition.

tons and having a differential area greater kin amount than the dierential area of said valve seating surfaces for securing'instantaneous opening ofthe valve upon the breaking of its contact seal.

10 n a controlling valve, a valve cage providedVv with a pair o chamfered ring seats, a valve plug having a pair of valve pistonsadapted to seat upon said ring seats the edges of said pistons being chamfered at a dierent angle from the angle of chamfer of said ring seats whereby a line sealing contact between said Valve pistons and ring seats is secured andsaid valve` plug being provided adjacent to said pistons with depending skirt por.- tions, said skirt portions being providedwith means to permit onlya restricted flow of Water past said plug after the line sealing contact of said valve has been broken and until said vplug has been moved to a predetermined opened l1. In a controlling valve for a compound water meter that includes a main line meter and a by-pass meter, a valve casing havingan inlet and an outlet, a valve plugmovably mounted in said casing for automatically rcontrolling the ilow.- VthroughV said main line meter or said by-pass meter in accordance with pressure differences between said inlet and outlet, a by-pass cylinder having ported communication through said by-` pass meter Withsaid inlet and a by-pass valve piston mounted in said cylinder and adapted t'o l close said ported communication during the opening of said valve, and said piston opening said ported communication after flow is established through said main line meter for permitting sub stantially the full pressure of the Water at said inlet to be exerted on said piston to hold said valve plug in open position, said by-pass cylinder being further provided Withoutlet ports adapted to be opened when said valve plug is in full open position for permitting a lubricating flow through said by-pass meter during the time large yilows are passing through the main line meter.

l2. In a controlling valve, a valve casing hav'.V i2() K casing andprovided with valve seating surfaces, M

ing an inlet and an outlet, a valve cage in said a valve plug `having 3o-operating valvefseating surfaces mounted for Vertical movement within said Valve cage and normally held by the force of gravity in closed position, said Valvel plug-"being movable Yautomatically to opened position when a predetermined pressure difference is established kbetween said inlet and outlet, and means for causing a smaller predetermined differential pressure to hold said valve plug in opened position, said means including a by-pass cylinder and -a by-` pass piston carried by said Valve plug.

' v:EDWARD NUEBLINGr.v

Y15o v ist 

